Category: Tights

Welcome to our latest blog post collaboration in which we have the pleasure to connect with Anne Tyler from Essex’ee Legs; an online retailer of tights, stockings, leggings, socks and more to suit all styles and budgets.

Thank you Anne. We very much appreciate that you have taken the time to chat with @Rations2R_n_R.

Christine @Rations2R_n_R (C). Our readers would like to know a little about the woman/women responsible for Essex’ee Legs.

Anne @EssexeeLegs (A). My name is Anne, and I am a mother and grandmother, from Brentwood, Essex. I enjoy my family life, and am quite private. I have a passion for fashion, and love social media. My daughter works with me, at Essex’ee Legs.

(C). Please tell us about the inspiration that led to Essex’ee Legs.

(A). Having worked in social research for a very long time, and then running a local community website; I had dreamed about starting an online shop for years. I always felt there was a lack of choice, of hosiery, on the high street, as the items could not be presented very well. I decided hosiery was perfect for selling online, as the images sell the items, perfectly. I decided I would mainly sell items that could not be found on the high street.

(C). How long have you been in business?

(A). We began in 2011.

(C). It would be interesting to learn about your enthusiasm for hosiery.

(A). I am enthusiastic about hosiery all the time, and probably a bit of a bore 😉 . The styles out there, today, are amazing. I am always on the look out for that something that is unique, and also love the classics. I encourage customers to email me if they can’t find what they are looking for, and this sends me on a mission to find styles for them.

(C). Stockings have made a resurgence over the past few years. How do their sales compare to hold-ups and tights?

(A). I would say stockings are preferred, this season, over hold ups, which I am delighted about. Tights will always be in front, but stockings are selling very well.
(C). We would like to hear about particular challenges that you may have faced as a woman in business.

(A). Everyday is a learning curve, which we thrive on. A couple of years in I was desperate to start my own brand, and hit many brick walls, as I could not find a manufacturer in the UK. I had given up all hope of starting our own branded items, then in 2014 I made a contact with a company who manufacture and source hosiery from all over the world, and the Essex’ee Legs brand was launched.
(C). It would be interesting to know the reasons that you stock the brands that you do.

(A). I stock many brands, and like to try and add new ones, each year. I like to stock high quality premium brands, plus build my own brand.
(C). Are there women; either historical or contemporary, that have been an inspiration?

(A). The list is too long. I love to see and share images, on social media, of past actresses and models in hosiery e.g. Twiggy, Blondie, Marilyn Monroe, and equally am glad to see celebrities today enjoying wearing hosiery.
(C). Where can Essex’ee Legs be found on Social Media?

Seamed Tights Pink H2061. Sheer champagne colour tights with a delicate baby pink seam. Contains elastane for a perfect fit combining comfort of today with glamour of yesteryear. Sheer 15 denier with a contrasting heel and seam to the top of the leg. Made in Italy. Priced at £10.00.

Find the shoes to match. After all I cannot do all the work and ready to go!

@Rations2R_n_R neither owns the copyright to the images nor much of the written content included herein. We use our blog to showcase retro and vintage fashion and, where we can, credit the copyright owner of any content by way of a link to their website. Please email rations2rocknroll@outlook.com if you are the owner of any content included and would like us to either amend or remove anything that we post.

@Rations2R_n_R neither owns the copyright to the images nor much of the written content included herein. We use our blog to showcase retro and vintage fashion and, where we can, credit the copyright owner of any content by way of a link to their website. Please email rations2rocknroll@outlook.com if you are the owner of any content included and would like us to either amend or remove anything that we post. Christine Ashbeck (founder of @Rations2R_n_R).

I am immensely grateful to have the opportunity to chat with the founders of Heels and Toes Inc. I should like to express a sincere appreciation as I understand how busy that they are in both their personal and professional lives.

Christine @Rations2R_n_R (C) Our followers would love to know about the people behind Heels and Toes.

@HeelsToesInc (H) Heels and Toes Inc. is an online hosiery boutique featuring superior legwear, including tights, stockings and unisex fashion socks. We are a husband and wife team, raising two rambunctious young children, who want to offer women and men quality, stylish, contemporary European legwear right here in Canada.

(C) Please tell us about the motivation that led to Heels and Toes.

(H) As a couple, we love to get dressed up for a night out. A suit or sport jacket and tie for him and a fabulous dress or skirt for her. Given Canada’s cooler climate, hosiery is a possibility for many months of the year. Accessorizing an outfit with an alluring seam or sensuous stocking became a fun way to add some glamour to our evenings out. Over the years, we built up a large collection of quality tights, stockings and holdups and one day we jokingly said that, “We had enough hosiery to open up our own store!”. We looked into it and decided to create Heels and Toes Inc as a ‘side business’ to our professional careers. Our own experiences have taught us that quality fashionable products are often difficult to find, especially in the Canadian market. We want to offer superior service and quality products at reasonable prices.

(C) When was Heels and Toes online boutique established?

(H) We opened our online boutique in October 2016. It’s been quite an adventure for us as we navigate the art of business and try to merge it with our love of fine legwear and socks.

(C) I am interested to learn the reasons for stocking the brands that you do?

(H) Over the years, we have become familiar with many different brands. Trasparenze, an Italian manufacturer, quickly became one of our favourites. They are a fantastic brand that hold up well over time and offer some very creative designs.

We made the decision to carry Fiore due largely to their extremely creative designs, patterns and products.

We were introduced to Cecilia de Rafael during our honeymoon in Spain and love their glossy Sevilla pantyhose.

When looking for quality stockings, we found Secrets In Lace to be second to none. They offer the finest stockings and their seamed hosiery is stunning with both modern outfits and for that retro look.

We added Glamory to our collection when we began receiving requests for quality hosiery for the curvier and taller woman. As half of our company falls into the ‘tall’ category, this is always an area that we feel is worthy of investigation. We quickly fell in love with their products and found everything they said to be true. The response to this product has been positive and it clearly fulfilled a need with our clientele.

We also wanted to add some great socks for the men. HS is a worldwide brand that offers high quality products and very cool designs. Friday Sock Company is a local brand, based here in Calgary and offers fantastic mismatched socks that are some of the most creative designs we have ever seen.

(C) Of the products that you stock which are the most popular and why do you believe that is?

(H) Our most popular products are Cecilia de Rafael Sevilla Gloss Tights, Fiore Lili Sheer Tights, Trasparenze Sara Stockings and Fiore Glam Hold Ups. We have also begun receiving a great response from our Glamory line.

We have a distinguished client base of professional women who wear the Sevilla and Lili sheer tights on a daily basis. These products are offered in a great size range, hold up well to multiple wears and are priced at or below department store brands.

The Trasparenze Sara are fantastically soft, plain top stockings that offer superior comfort at a reasonable price. There is something almost magical about a woman in plain top stockings. Simple and sexy!

The same can be said for the Fiore Glam Hold Ups. They are a comfortable satin top thigh high that fit perfectly at the office or for a night on the town.

Glamory is quickly becoming better known and offers ALL women the comfort of quality tights, stockings and holdups.

(C) Rations2RocknRoll has a love of vintage style fashion and favours stockings as part of my retro ensemble. Stockings have had somewhat of a renaissance in recent years. I would love to hear your thoughts as to why this is.

(H) Stockings are the epitome of sexy. They offer an alluring glimpse into our past and today’s manufacturers have created such a comfortable product that women can now enjoy both comfort and sexiness, all at once. For many, stockings are the most alluring of lingerie products. The glimpse of the stocking top and the thought of what lies underneath, drives men crazy and allows women to feel sexy. They are a classy way to add something special to any outfit.

(C) Does Heels and Toes ship internationally?

(H) Our main focus is to provide hosiery to the women of Canada and the United States although we do ship internationally to most of Europe, Australia and Japan. Unfortunately costs for shipping outside of North America are relatively high compared to some of the great hosiery retailers in the UK and Europe.

(C) Our followers would love to hear about the plans for Heels & Toes for the future.

(H) Our goal remains the same as it was the day we opened. To provide women and men with quality service and the finest in hosiery. As we grow our brand, it is our hope to add more products and manufacturers to our line. Whether it be tights, stockings, holdups, leggings or socks, we want women and men to experience the comfort that only quality hosiery offers.

(H) Our website is http://www.heelsandtoes.ca. Heels and Toes Inc. offers unique and fashionable hosiery for work and play. Whether it’s classic office attire, something ‘special’ for that evening out or colourfully designed dress socks, Heels and Toes Inc. wants to have you covered and looking your best. We are located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and offer our customers the ultimate in quality, craftsmanship and creativity.

This has been a most interesting read and is clear evidence of the passion that Heels and Toes have for quality hosiery.
Thank you again to Heels and Toes Inc. for their enthusiasm in the latest of my collaborative blog posts.